Friday Five: Books Read in July

By sheer coincidence it appears that I have read five books in July, and that red features quite prominently in the covers. Here, then, are brief overviews (full reviews to follow later).

5 Books Read in July:

1. To Calais in Ordinary Time by James Meek (Canongate) - Mixing elements of The Canterbury Tales and Shakespearean comedy, this story takes place in South-West England in 1348 as a group of bowmen travel through the country from Outen Green in Gloucestershire to Calais to fight the French, while the plague is advancing steadily towards them. As the novel was published in 2019 all the reviewers drew contemporary parallels with Brexit and the existentialist threat of the climate crisis, but anyone now would automatically think of the Covid pandemic. The novel is narrated from three different people’s perspectives, and the voices are clearly different - there is much merit in juxtaposing the courtly language and behaviour of French romance with the idioms and earthy attitudes of the English soldiers, and the novel was unsurprisingly on many newspapers' 'Books of the year' lists. 
2. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen (Picador) - this is one of those currently fashionable psychological thrillers about women behaving badly. New York psychologist, Dr Shields conducts an experiment on morality and ethics which make-up artist, Jessica wangles her way onto - fraudulently taking the place of the 'real' subject. It soon transpires that all is not as it seems (surprise!) and that everyone is manipulating each other. The two characters are meant to be written individually but they sound exactly the same, apart from one of them refers to 'you' throughout, which soon becomes intensely irritating. We are meant to find the vapid minutiae of their existence fascinating - from how they dress to what they eat - and it won't be long before someone snaps up the rights and makes another tediously glib and glossy film.  
3. Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor (Riverhead Books) - Every living body breathes, but it turns out that half of us are doing it wrongly. Ancient humans and Eastern mystics knew the correct methods, but modern lifestyles have ignored them leading to multiple health issues including tooth decay, sleep apnoea, anxiety, asthma, and the preponderance of choking. It may be skewed towards anecdotes and storytelling rather than academia and science (think popular American documentary podcast) but there's enough insight to challenge conventional wisdom and make the case for nasal breathing over mouth breathing.
4. The Good People by Hannah Kent (Picador) - Set in 1825 in South-West rural Ireland, this novel explores liminal spaces and inexplicable things: “The strange hinges of the world, the thresholds between what was known and all that lay beyond”. In this world many follow the ‘old’ beliefs that children (and adults) could be stolen (swept) by the fairies to be replaced by changelings. It is dripping with pathetic fallacy as the female power (herbs and agricultural lore represented by the Wise Woman) is challenged by that of the male (a priest with punishments and preaching of sin). A great one for book clubs, it gives rise to much discussion, but - as to be expected - things are pretty grim. 
5. Briar Rose: A Novel of the Holocaust by Jane Yolen (Tor) - Jane Yolen has form for taking mythical legends and fairy stories, and twisting them into contemporary tales with relevance and meaning. In this YA novel of a young woman, Becca, trying to find out more about her grandmother's mysterious past; the castle is a concentration camp; the sleeping beauty is gassed; and the prince's kiss is the breath of life. That's not a spoiler, because all of that is obvious from the title, but Yolen believes it is not the past that makes us who we are, but the way we tell our histories. Every other chapter returns to the recounting of the familiar fairy tale interspersed by Becca's explorations into the unknown; a way in which ritual can help us comprehend the horrific and inexplicable truth.

A Doctor Calls: Intensive Care

Intensive Care: A GP, a Community & COVID-19 by Gavin Francis

Profile Books

Pp. 198

Gavin Francis’ memoir about the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic provides a fascinating first-hand account of how the medical profession dealt with the infection in the face of changing priorities and conflicting information. As a GP in Edinburgh, he also writes proudly of the city’s history, particularly in terms of medical science, and how that relates to current procedures. Published in 2021, this takes a contemporary view of the situation, and certain cautionary tales have proved true in upsetting ways, such as the prioritising of physical health to the detriment of mental health, and the long-term effects of this approach.

We have become inured to the word ‘unprecedented’ – indeed a popular internet meme reads ‘I could really go for some precedented times’ – but the pace of the spread of the virus was extraordinary. Francis writes, “In the space of days, what had seemed like a surreal joke became reality.” Originally doctors were ‘assured’ there was no evidence of human to human transmission, but within weeks the guidelines changed. Doctors dealt with uncertainty, lack of clear messaging and trying to allay fears as well as treat illness.

Of course things are more obvious with hindsight (although this book is written only halfway through the pandemic), and Francis is cautious with his criticism of the politics involved, but he is clearly frustrated about the lack of guidance. He believes that social distancing measures should have been introduced as soon as it became clear that the virus could spread through contact, but understands the hesitancy. While health is his priority – he is a doctor after all – he understands that not everyone will react in the same way. While noting enforced quarantines overseas, he is aware this would be problematic at home. He further appreciates the dichotomy between the suffering of the global economy compared with the recovery of the environment.

There are one or two positives to be drawn from the response to the pandemic, as Francis clutches at straws of hope, such as the speed of the response to the homeless crisis, and the recalibration of which jobs are important, “as if all the old hierarchies were being pushed aside and new possibilities were emerging.”

Some people found that after years of agoraphobia and anxiety, they now felt better as they were not pressured into going out and doing things: introverts were more accepted and acceptable. On the other hand, however, strides taken in the advance of understanding of mental health were now being pushed back. As a GP, his job is to attend to all aspects of his patients’ health, and he finds the crisis causing phenomenal mental health consequences. “Some days every call I took was about loneliness, self-harm, anxiety, panic attacks.” The lockdown may have slowed the pace of transmission, but it provoked “a silent epidemic of despair: panic and anxiety are the virus’s dark refrains, a second pandemic leaching into everyone’s lives.”

Francis writes of the history of epidemics and how public health awareness is the greatest weapon against disease. “More lives have been saved though better housing, sanitation and vaccination than were ever saved by a surgeon’s knife or a physician’s drugs.” He also writes of the development of vaccines and the public attitude to them, both contemporary and historic: it turns out the anti-vax movement is nothing new.

Francis offers some glimpses of hope and humanity, with examples of what we can achieve when we care for each other. But he also presents us with a world that has changed and will never again be the same. How we handle this crisis or challenge depends on our viewpoint and whether we believe in the overwhelming good or bad of society – and yes, there is such a thing.

Friday Five: Cities in Transylvania

Piața Mare, Sibiu

As most of you will know, I have recently returned from two weeks in Transylvania. The main purpose of the visit was so that Him Outdoors could compete in the World Age Group Duathlon Champions (he came fifth, which is such an excellent result that even he is happy with it!) but of course I managed to get in some serious tourism. Here are the highlights of the cities (some of them were towns but let's not get bogged down in definition) we explored. 

Five Cities in Transylvania:

1. Brașov: Located in the centre of Romania and surrounded by the Southern Carpathians, Brașov has a population of 253,200 making it the seventh most populous city in the country. It was a walled city and, despite a fire which destroyed much of the fortifications, some of the gates are still in existence. It has a vibrant central square, one of the narrowest streets in Europe, an abundance of churches, a Hollywood-style sign on top of Mt Tâmpa (accessible by a by a cable-car), and a great cafe, restaurant and bar scene. Historically, the city was the centre of the Burzenland, once dominated by the Transylvanian Saxons, and a significant commercial hub on the trade roads linking the Ottoman Empire and Western Europe. The Saxon merchants obtained considerable wealth, exerted strong political influence, and their influence on the architecture of the city is still evident. 



Brașov from above

2. Cluj-Napoca: Two fabulous squares lined with cafes and restaurants, a family-friendly park for promenading and boating on a lake (we also saw group zumba and people strung out in hammocks), an evident rave scene, and a well-frequented botanic gardens are among the highlights of this vibrant city with a strong student vibe (evidenced in a number of excellent craft beer bars and a couple of microbreweries). A stunning mix of Gothic and Baroque architecture combine with Communist-era Brutalist buildings, which tell their own story alongside the statues of various political and religious figures. The National Museum of Ethnography exhibits feature stuff like mills, looms and folk costumes, and a startling collection of scary-looking icons on glass, while the stadium appears positively futuristic from the top of Cetațuia Hill. 



Restaurant scene in Cluj-Napoca

3. Sibiu: Encircled by the remains of medieval walls and towers, Sibiu is known for the Germanic architecture of its old town. It is also known as The City with Eyes due to the iconic eyebrow dormers on the roofs of the houses, whose initial purpose was as a ventilation system, but legends say they were built to frighten the people and make them believe they were being watched. There is not one; not two; but three piața, and from the top of the Council Tower one can see six church spires. In 2007 Sibiu was the European Capital of Culture, and it has many museums and art galleries, including the ASTRA National Museum Complex (a 96-hectare open-air museum with a focus on ethnography) and the Brukenthal National Museum (in which every other picture is Crucifixion this or Annunciation that, or a still life with a dead rabbit). The city straddles the Cibin River via the Bridge of Lies - rumour has it if you tell a lie while standing on the bridge it will fall down. 



Eyes on the Bridge of Lies, Sibiu

4. Sighișoara: Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the city is a popular tourist destination for its well-preserved walled old town, with multiple towers marking out the fortifications. It's relatively small with 164 houses in the city, most of which are over 300 years old and are considered historical monuments. One such is the birthplace of Vlad Țepeș, otherwise known as Vlad III or Vlad Drăculea (but not Vlad the Impaler), one of the most important rulers in Wallachian history and proof that one person's war criminal is another's national hero. I mean, sure, he committed acts of unspeakable cruelty and mass genocide (boiling people to death and driving spikes into their heads were favoured pastimes) but he defended Romania from invading Turkish hordes, so, you know…



Part of the fortifications of Sighișoara

5. Târgu Mureș: Proving that not all cities in Transylvania have beautiful buildings and bustling squares, there is a substantial component of Communist-era architecture here, as many of the original buildings were demolished by the communist regime of the 1970s. It is surrounded by beautiful forests and bucolic country vistas where farmers scythe the fields by hand and storks perch atop telegraph poles to build their enormous nests. Restaurants are copious and offer a range of dishes from hearty meats in creamy cheese sauces to some of the best vegetarian food I have ever tasted, garnished with edible flowers. Guide books may complain that the fortifications are over-restored, but they are used frequently for shows and celebrations, with a bar in the walls and atmospheric lighting at night. Ethnically, it has one of the largest Roma populations of any city in the country and the remainder are roughly equal Romanians and Hungarians with a smattering of Germans and Jews. The Palace of Culture is a remarkable building in the city centre richly decorated with mosaic panels and stained glass windows. The art within is equally incredible with a the Romanian and Hungarian collections being exhibited on separate floors. 

Mosaic ceiling at the Palace of Culture, Targu Mureș

Courtroom Drama: The Appeal

The Appeal by Janice Hallett

Viper

Pp. 447

The tagline for this novel is “One murder. Fifteen suspects. Can you uncover the truth?” It is set in a country village, Lockwood, where “life revolves around two interlocking family dynasties... A person’s closeness to the alpha family – the Haywards – determines their social status.” Many of the villagers form the Fairway Players, an amateur dramatic society who are currently producing All My Sons. Martin Hayward is chair of the Fairway Players, his wife, Helen, is the secretary and leading actress, and their son-in-law, James, is directing the play. Martin and Helen raise an appeal for their granddaughter, Poppy, a young child with a rare form of cancer (or has she?) who needs unsubsidised drugs (or does she?). Everyone is dodgy, and there are affairs, blackmail, official work complaints, obsession, past secrets and mysterious circumstances, so when someone is murdered (over halfway through the book), it seems likely that anyone could have done it.

What elevates the novel above the usual run-of-the-mill cosy murder genre is the way in which the narrative unfolds through emails, text messages, newspaper articles and interview transcripts. A couple of law students, Charlotte and Femi, are assigned the case by their Senior Partner, Roderick Tanner QC, and they read through all the documents, trying to keep track of events, motives and alibis. Periodically they paste post-it notes asking pertinent questions or drawing attention to relevant information. Also every now and then they confer to recap events so far with text comments such as “Are you clear what happened at the Yogathon? Could you possibly summarise it for me? Please.”

It is an obvious device and one which the author subtly highlights. Isabel likes to email her every thought so that Sarah-Jane replies, “You were standing right here only moments ago. Why not just speak to me?” After being duped, one character tells another, “It seems there’s only so much you can know from letters. A man can hide a world behind words” and when Mr Tanner supplies extra information, he suggests, “As usual with this case, the meat is all between the lines.”

Into this milieu enter a couple, Sam and Kel, who have returned from Africa where they worked for Medicin Sans Frontiers and left under a cloud. There are scams from people claiming they want to invest in charities and offering quick returns on funds, and Tish Bhatoa, the woman supposedly providing the drugs for Poppy’s treatment, is also suspicious. Tish knows Sam and Kel from their overseas medical exploits, and precious African artefacts are mixed up with heroin addicts and a break in. The summing up ponders, “The African connection, and how something a world away can have such a profound influence.”

Isabel is on the outside and desperate to break in, to which end she joins the drama group and attempts to make herself useful by rehearsing lines with other actors and taking the minutes at committee meetings, but surely she can’t be as ditzy as she pretends. Actually, her version of the minutes are hilarious and a highlight of the book. After she has sent them out (complete with ruminations, recriminations and things that probably shouldn’t be repeated), Sarah-Jane reproaches her, “There’s all sorts of nonsense in there that we never even mentioned at the meeting. What’s more, it’s full of your opinions. That’s not the point of the minutes. No one cares what you think.” Working at the same hospital and eager to find new friends Isabel introduces Sam and Kel to the drama group, and she combines the interests of theatre and law, surmising, “A courtroom is very like a theatre. It has a stage, an audience and actors – it’s just the barristers know their lines while the witnesses improvise.”

The Appeal is an intriguing debut from an accomplished author. With touches of Agatha Christie in a modernist style, it brings a fresh perspective to the epistolary novel and to crime fiction in general. Clever and funny, it has quickly amassed a plethora of awards and is deservedly becoming a book-club favourite.

Friday Five: While You Were Sleeping Volume 2

Negative Space, Gumada A by Konstantina

As this is NAIDOC (National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee) week, I thought it would be appropriate to post these images from an exhibition at Kambri, the ANU, which I saw last month. It is presented in an outdoor space and is placed under lights; I saw it at night and the images reflect that atmosphere. The introduction - at either end of the walkway- states:

"While You Were Sleeping Volume 2 is a vibrant exhibition created by 12 First Nations artists from contemporary arts communities around Australia, communicating intensely personal and visual stories.

These 24 large-scale artworks examine the joy, despair, hope, anger and pride encountered in their quest to analyse and reflect upon history and secure recognition, equality and respect for First Nations cultures, heritage and people.

This year, in a cultural partnership with Ceremony - the 4th National Indigenous Art Triennial by the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) - While You Were Sleeping Volume 2 proudly features the richly-hued pictorial narratives and incredibly powerful messages of these multi-generational emerging and established artists.

The works traverse a range of disciplines, including painting, illustration, photography, and digital art. Decals placed on the ground in front of each artwork summarise statements from the artist, allowing viewers to access the artist's vision, motivation, influences and intention."

5 Artists Featured in the Exhibition, While You Were Sleeping Volume 2:

Gooreen (Path of the Winds) by Wayne Quilliam

1. Wayne Quilliam

Gooreen (Path of the Winds) - "Clarity realised in a moment of terror. My essence a blurred ambiguous, and poetic insight of culture. Sedating both time and space, these linear creations find space within an atmosphere heavy with malice. A whisper in the darkness, an ambiguous blurring of reality. I will find the path of my ancestors."

Negative Space, Gumada B by Konstantina

2. Konstantina  

Negative Space, Gumada A & B "A further exploration of my Aboriginal identity, characterised by the absence (rather than the presence) of the distinguishing features making me who I am as an artist, mother, wife and woman. This is a deeply personal collection which identifies for me the 'haves' and 'have nots' of life, spirit and connection to Country through the lens of both Aboriginal and White Australians, both of which I am. Tree is spirit, and in a similar way to humans, tree needs to shed its unnecessary excesses in order to grow and remain healthy. A physical freeing of spirit. The literal interpretation is native gum bark waste, or is it indeed the excess we must rid ourselves of to move forward?"

Garranjini by Nardurna

3. Nardurna 

Garranjini - "My traditional Land is situated in the Gulf of Carpentaria and is under threat of fracking by major companies. I grew up on this land; I am it and it is me." 

Barbarra (Tell A Story) by Nardurna

Babarra (Tell A Story) - "This artwork is about having a safe, happy and healthy journey. It shows land, bush plums for health, flowers for growth and a journey."

4. Elizabeth Close 

Landscapes - "Landscapes speaks to the diversity of the landscapes across Australia and the Torres Strait Islands and deeper than this, our relationship with it. With every rock, plant, bird, insect, animal and grain of sand." 

Landscapes by Elizabeth Close

Topography - "The work, Topography, speaks to the enduring relationship and understanding that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have with and of Country. There is the landscape, the palette, the textures you can see with our eyes; then there is the indelible understanding we have as Anangu, that speaks deeply to us spiritually. We can feel Country just as sharply as one can see it."

Topography by Elizabeth Close

5. Leah Brideson 

Life Source - "Life Source is a representation of the Naomi River in Gunnedah and Mooki River in Breeza, with parallels to the Murrumbidgee River in the ACT, particularly during the dry season. As a young child travelling back to Country, I always sensed a great connection to these tretched of water, particularly from hearing stories of my Dad and Grandmother playing down by the river with their siblings, cousins and friends. The dryness of my Country is depicted in the cracked earth, and the gradual vibrancy dots toward the river embody the importance of caring for our waterways that sustain life."

Life Source by Leah Brideson

Gadjigadji - "This piece titled Gadjigadji meaning 'regrowth' in Gamilaraay language, is a celebration of growth of country. It looks at the perspectives of trees and plants growing up from the ground, but also growing down, embedding their roots in Country and acknowledging strength and power in nurturing us."

Gadjigadji by Leah Brideson

Character Sketches: Shenzheners

Shenzheners by Xue Yiwei

Linda Meith Publishing Inc. 

Pp. 176

Considered to be the Chinese Dubliners – the dedication is “To the Irishman who inspires me” – this is a collection of short stories about the people who live in Shenzhen. The young city of Shenzhen has grown astronomically to become a major metropolitan centre; a city in which everyone is a newcomer. The author writes of teachers, taxi drivers, dramatists and peddlers; we see their relationships with their family members and their environment. The prose is crisp and sparse, accompanied by simple but expressive line drawings by Chinese illustrator Cai Gao.

The blurb on the back of the book jacket claims it is, “The first book in English by acclaimed Chinese-Canadian writer Xue Yiwei) but on the front are the words, “Translated from the Chinese by Darryl Sterk”, and the acknowledgments at the end refer to “translator Darry Sterk, who has turned the original Chinese into elegant English with the skill of a magician.” The different spelling of the name may be an unfortunate typo, but the whole thing is a little confusing, especially because language and pronunciation play such a big part in the stories.

Translation battles continue between characters; “I said it was a straightforward line. I couldn’t think of a need to translate it any other way.” The unnamed, omniscient narrator considers their words carefully when describing The Dramatist. “The neighbours called him a weirdo. But I felt that weird was the wrong word for him. From the start, I felt that eccentric would be more apt.” In other stories, specifics of pronunciation place a person in a strict class hierarchy. “Most of my classmates had worse pronunciation than mine, not to mention my teacher, a lady for whom even vowels were a challenge.”

There are aspects of the Chinese culture that are specific to the place, although they are not always remarked upon. One character casually notes, “I reached under my bed to retrieve the envelope with my yearly allowance, which Chinese children receive every Chinese New Year.” We recognise the element of childhood competition in everything from reading and swimming to mastering languages, maths or chess. One character reminisces, “I was a prodigy the whole city had taken note of. I was the apple of my parents’ eye and the centre of public and media attention. I was a role model, and example other parents held up when assessing their own children, a pair of exceptional coordinates on the grid of achievement.”

Most of these characters are male, and the ones who are female are sketchy. The Taxi Driver reflects, “He had never much cared about the expression on his daughter’s face, or about her existence. He was the same with his wife. He’d never imagined that they might cease to exist.”

Apparently The Dramatist had once written a one-act play about a city bus stop. There were no protagonists in the play, just people arriving and departing, as they did every day. He said that he wanted to express the absurdity of life by means of repeated departures and arrivals.” The city bus-stop may be the perfect metaphor for this collection of stories – we only see the outlines of the characters as the stories are remote and distant as if in this society of digital hyper-connectivity, no one knows anyone else at all.

Shenzhen: the tech capital of the world

Friday Five: Films on a Plane

More from the intermittent series of Films on a Plane, from when I travel to places and desperately try to get through the journey somehow - the last month consisted of two forty-plus-hour 'days' of flying and waiting at airports.

Seven Films Watched on Planes:

1. The Duke - Feel-good vibes abound from helping others, fighting injustice and standing up to the establishment. Totally unrealistic but rather sweet and charming film to watch with a cup of tea and a ginger biscuit.
2. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain - The bizarre tale of Louis Wain is played out by Benedict Cumberbatch and narrated by Olivia Colman. He is awkward and intense with a remarkable talent for drawing and a tendency towards mental illness, having to look after his family (mother and five sisters) when his father dies. He falls for the unconventional governess, Emily (Clare Foy), to much gossip and condemnations: she is the wrong class, bohemian in outlook and ten years his senior. There's a star-studded class including Andrea Riseborough, Toby Jones, Aimee Lou Wood, Taika Waiti and Nick Cave, lots of sickness, death and disappointment, and some very odd, whimsical moments. But Wain's drawings "change people' perceptions of cats, making them acceptable as house pets", and for that we are truly thankful.
3. Encanto - Disney film with songs about a magical family who all have a special talent apart from the one who doesn't, but of course she does after all because she restores the magic and proves your value is not in your gift but in who you are. The sentient house is fun but the story is schmaltzy and goes on too long. 



4. The Eyes of Tammy Faye - Jessica Chastain is excellent in a complicated role of compassion, manipulation and self-delusion. Andrew Garfield seems weak in comparison. it features multiple levels of hypocrisy and superficiality from the make-up and minks to the partner pledges and religious condemnation of vulnerable minorities. The design is fantastic, capturing the tacky opulence with a hollow centre.
5. House of Gucci - Adam Driver Lady Gaga, Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons tell an intriguing tale of a privileged family cursed by secrets, cheating and greed. Jared Leto is in an entirely different film from the rest of the cast.
6. King Richard - Will Smith plays father to the Williams sisters (there are five of them), insisting that they do other things besides play tennis (schooling; languages; musical instruments etc.) and doesn't push them too hard through tournaments and competitions. It's an unconventional approach and looks like they lived the dream, although they very probably didn't. The young women who play Venus (Saniyya Sidney) and Serena (Demi Singleton) are very good (and the two sisters are both executive producers) but, as the title suggests, it's all about him.
7. The Lost City - Clever author (Sandra Bullock) has to write trashy romances because that's what sells. Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, Da'Vine Joy Randolph and (briefly) Brad Pitt are all just fine in this action/ adventure/ treasure-seekers romp with exotic locations. It's ludicrous, but it passes the time on a plane after 20+ hours of travel.